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Land registries can’t process deeds

Twenty areas in Attica and other parts of the country have since last week been unable to complete any property transactions, such as sales, parental concessions etc, as a result of government neglect.

The reason is many of the state’s land registries (“ypothikofylakia,” not to be confused with Ktimatologio that is a private company) have not been appointed a new director. Directors are responsible for examining the legitimacy of each transaction, so without someone at the helm, land registries such as those in Zografou, Kifissia, Nea Ionia, Peristeri, Keratea, Myconos, Naxos, Andros (pictured) and Pyrgos are unable to ratify the necessary notarial deeds.

Most land registries (about 240) are directed by a non-civil servant with a legal background who fulfills this task on behalf of the state, also paying to it the revenues due; however its operation and the responsibility of its staffing belongs to him and not to the state.

On the contrary, the above 20 land registries are under the jurisdiction of the state, becoming a public agency under the Justice Ministry and staffed by civil servants, following the withdrawal of the directors who used to run them. However there are no procedures to replace them.